The day to day joys and trials of a small ultra-premium all vinifera vineyard and estate winery in historic Ripley, Ohio. The owners formerly owned Chehalem Valley Vineyards in Yamhill, Oregon. Looking for a new challenge, they sold that 40-acre Pinot Noir vineyard to Tony Soter in 1997.

Harvest

2011 Vintage Report from Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery

Every vintage is different. Every winegrowing region has its variable challenges and certainly many growers in California, Oregon and the East Coast were devastated by the weather in 2011. While it was no picnic here, at least we dodged many of the bullets.
For us, the 2011 vintage started out wet, continued wet and stayed relatively cool throughout. As such, we were delayed in ripening, but this is not necessarily bad for early varieties. The cooler temperatures preserve white wine aromas and protect color pigment development in red varieties. Crop load was adequate and was successfully balanced by shoot/cluster thinning in the vineyard. Given dry weather, we were poised for a substantial, moderate alcohol, nuanced vintage. Well, the rain moderated but did not end and cooling temperatures at the end of October limited maturities in late varieties.
So where did we end up? We dropped substantial crop due to rot and ended up with some very well balanced, complex white wines. I actually prefer them to the 2010s. Except for Traminette, all will be Kinkead Ridge (first label).
Probably due to having thicker skins, red wines show deeper initial color than they did in the hot 2010 vintage. Alcohols are more restrained and the flavors more complex and subtle. It's a long road to bottling and release, but I'm confident that both the 2010 and the 2011 vintages will yield some remarkably good Kinkead Ridge wines.
In summary, we have some interesting wine in the pipeline and though I am somewhat disappointed by the quantity, overall the quality of the 2011 vintage may surprise you.

Vintage Report 2010

The 2010 vintage was unusual in that weather was characterized in the Ohio River Valley by localized persistent patterns and storm tracks which varied dramatically over distances of 100 miles or less. More typically in mid/late summer we get sporadic and erratic rain events accompanied by temperate swings in temperature. We started the vintage with warm and wet weather which accelerated bud break and bloom which in turn made for an early vintage. Then came incessant heat, humidity and rain throughout August which increased vegetative vigor while diminishing the energy level and enthusiasm of grapegrower and crew. Then the weather pattern shifted, and while the heat remained, rainfall became almost non-existent through October.
Abrupt changes like this drive grapevines (and the people who tend them) semi-crazy. As a result, I am only semi-confident of the quality of the wines from this vintage. Because of high sugar levels and low acidity most wineries picked early. We didn't, but even with extended hang times, flavors never really fully developed. Red wines are alcoholic and light in color due to lighter colored berries and thinner skins. White wines are perhaps more interesting due to their substantial heft, alcoholic and otherwise.
Overall though there should be some excellent wines from this vintage. By barrel tasting time (Thanksgiving), at least some of the red wines should prove interesting. Whites are on track to show well on release (Memorial Day weekend). There could be some stunners. Quantity however will be very limited, particularly for whites. Due to lingering effects from the abysmal 2009 season and some adverse spring weather, crop levels were only about half of what might be considered “normal”.
If I were a politician, I would use the words “cautiously optimistic” to describe my attitude toward this vintage.

Vintage Report 2009

We ended up with about 35% of a full crop and will likely have no first-label wines. All the wines are clean and sound. The whites in particular are coming around and should be a good fit for our value-driven second-label River Village Cellars. As always with a tough vintage, it's too soon to tell for the reds. Confronted by the realities of the 2009 vintage, a professional wine spinner might be tempted to represent this vintage as a difficult one, but nonetheless with some "great wines produced". Unfortunately said spinner (typically a marketing person for a winery or a spokesperson for a wine trade organization) would be well advised to take early retirement! 2009 was quite simply the worst vintage I have ever witnessed or experienced as a grower. It is on a par with the dismal 1977 and 1984 vintages in Oregon. We did have a promising start to the vintage with moderate weather and we missed the spring frost which decimated vineyards in northern Ohio. Then in July, the weather turned cold and wet and stayed that way through October. Our crew did the best job of canopy management ever, but to no avail. Enormous disease pressure combined with the need for extended hang time meant that we ended up selectively picking everything to avoid rot. It some cases, picking cost more than the fruit was worth.

Vintage Report 2008

As I write this in late February, the wines from 2008 have been cleaned up and are showing very well. After a cool spring which delayed bloom, the weather turned generally warm and dry until late October. Harvest dates were later than usual due to the late bloom, but full maturity was obtained on all varieties save for Petit Verdot. Brix levels were mid-20s on some varietals. Despite extensive shoot and crop thinning, yields were high, and in some cases higher than desired. Overall, in this winegrower's opinion, 2008 might be the best vintage yet for Kinkead Ridge. Stars for 2008 include the White Revelation (to be released Memorial Day weekend 2009) and the Cabernet Sauvignon (to be released Labor Day 2010). See http://www.KinkeadRidge.com/htm/wines.htm for a description of the past vintages.

Vintage Report 2007

An early bud break meant an early harvest; we were finished by mid-October. Sadly, it also meant several days of 80 degree weather, shoots four inches long, and then an Easter freeze which plunged the vineyard to 28 degrees. All the white wine was affected, to a tragic degree. There will be very little Viognier/Roussanne, little Riesling, and it may not even be worth bottling the Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend. Syrah was also heavily affected. The good news is the long dry ripening season was outstanding for Cabernet; small berries, high sugars. These wines will be reminiscent of Calistoga, higher in alcohol than our general practice.

Vintage Report 2006

As this is written (January 2007), I've had the opportunity to both reflect on the vintage past and taste the wines as they have begun to develop. Going into harvest season, the vineyard was in excellent condition. Crop load and canopy management was on target. Weather deteriorated in mid-September and some of the harvest conditions were as difficult as I've ever experienced. October in particular was troublesome as cold temperatures and excessive rainfall limited maturities.
Despite the above, white wines are turning out surprisingly well. Red wines, however, are questionable and many may end up as second label when released in 2008. So far we have had a mild winter and I look forward to a spring with little winter damage and overall good growing conditions in 2007.

Vintage Report 2005

2005 in the vineyard was a vintage of extremes. Unlike 2004 where moisture, heat and humidity were well distributed, it seemed like the heat and humidity would never end. Rainfall came either not at all or in a deluge. Fortunately, harvest turned out mostly dry with only the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot caught by rain at the end of October. In the winery, most of the fruit came in low in acid and high in sugar. Adjustments were made and fermentations, though quirky, finished well. Overall, the wines show good promise, and for some, 2005 may prove to be the best vintage yet.

Kinkead Ridge Winery was inducted into the Cincinnati Culinary Hall of Fame, which honors individuals who have shaped regional culinary heritage, on Sept. 9. The event was held at the Hilton Netherland Hotel, in the Hall of Mirrors.

More than 100 guests attended the dinner with wine pairings prepared by Executive Chef Todd Kelly, and hosted by Sheila Gray, WKRC; and Chef John Kinsella, CMC, PhD, Master Chef at Midwest Culinary Institute, and president of Smart Chefs.

Two of the other five nominees honored were Chef Rita Heikenfeld, well known in the Cincinnati culinary scene, and Buddy LaRosa, founder of LaRosa’s restaurants. Interestingly, we first met Rita because we bought the farm from her sister, Christina Lawson!

The event is held under the auspices of Les Amies d’Escoffier, an international organization that perpetuates the legacy of the famous French chef Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935), a restaurateur and culinary writer who popularized and updated traditional French cooking methods. He was one of the most important leaders in the development of modern French cuisine.

A spectacular meal with wine pairings was prepared by Chef Todd Hudson.

This week House Wine in Worthington Ohio (Columbus) tasted six Cabernet Francs, including one from Chinon. In the mix was the 2011 Kinkead Ridge, and the 2012 River Village Cellars... most of the attendees put our two wines as their top two favorites out of three!

Earlier, at the American Wine Society tasting of Cab Francs in Cincinnati, we did really well... check out this rating list...

And this review of the 2011 Cab Franc on Cellartracker.com

Only eight more Saturdays left to buy Kinkead Ridge wines at the winery... then we will close until September 2015. If we still own the winery at that point, we will release the 2013 reds. There is NO white wine or red wine from the 2014 vintage. Winter damage. So if you are interested in Kinkead Ridge Viognier/Roussanne, Revelation, Riesling, or Traminette, we encourage you to visit or order through Water Tower Fine Wines or the Wine Merchant in Cincinnati. The 2013 is probably the last Kinkead Ridge white wine that will be made. We are retiring.

The 2012 vintage was somewhat dreary (cold and wet), so we decided to release the reds under our second label River Village Cellars, value priced everyday wines at $14.99 and $13.99. They were so popular that many people thought they should have been the ultra-premium Kinkead Ridge label!

The winery is open on Saturdays from 11-5. We are still tasting five 2013 white wines.

The severe winter that impacted southern Ohio and northern Ohio vineyards as well as vineyards in New York, Michigan, Canada and Indiana precludes any harvest this year. So there will be NO Kinkead Ridge white wines from 2014. We suggest you stock up now on the 2013s while they last.

Here's the first review from a Dayton blogger of these reds.

2012 Cabernet Franc. This wine actually made me smile. There is a good amount of vanilla and oak in the nose, but they were fresh aromas. There is a lot of up front flavors of red cherry and spice. There's good acidity and tannin to hold every thing together. When the flavors faded at the end this was like drinking a rose' wine with more extracted flavors. This is simply a happy wine. It's also not one to save for a long period of time, though I will stow away a bottle for the future. 174 cases produced. 14.3% alcohol and $14.99.

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a much darker wine than the Cabernet Franc. It's also very closed up at the moment and it took a lot of swirling and a second glass to get the aromas flowing. When it did open up it was with earthy aromas rather than fruit. The taste was red cherries like the Cabernet Franc, but there was an underlying darker element as well. It seemed most like black raspberries to me. Again, there was good tannin and acid and there was a much longer finish. In six months or a year I will prefer this wine to the Cabernet Franc, but it still has some growing up to do in the bottle. 172 cases produced. 14.5% alcohol. $14.99

The Week magazine has a centerfold that details "Best Properties on the Market" with various themes... like million dollar ranches in Wyoming, homes on Fire Island, etc. In August they did "Homes in Wine Country", all multimillion dollar listings. And Kinkead Ridge is the "Steal of the Week"!

At the upcoming James Beard dinner May 10 (my birthday) in New York City (held in the house where James Beard cooked for friends) featuring Cincinnati chefs Julie Frances, Jean-Robert de Cavel, David Cook, David Fal, Jose Salazar, Stephen Williams and Jean Phillippe Solnom...

I had to look up Ful... fūl, is an Egyptian/Sudanese dish of cooked and mashed fava beans served with vegetable oil, cumin and optionally with chopped parsley, onion, garlic, and lemon juice. A staple meal in Egypt and Sudan, it is popular in the cuisines of the Levant, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia.

There is a kitchen camera... you can sign up for email alerts at www.jamesbeard.org

We got the phone call today that the 2011 Kinkead Ridge estate Cabernet Franc won a gold medal at the American Wine Society 2013 Commercial Competition. Only 300+ cases produced. Until it runs out, you can probably find it at our usual wine stores and restaurants, www.kinkeadridge.com/available.pdf.

I think Ron is serious about being retired. This means the vineyard (planted in 1999) will not be pruned this winter; and the only Kinkead Ridge wines to come are the 2013 whites, the 2012 reds, and the 2013 reds. The white harvest this year (especially the Viognier/Roussanne) was phenomenal.

We are still looking for a buyer who cares about quality, whom Ron will mentor. Our estate vineyard buyer needs to have a) a passion for this or b) the finances to continue to employ our outstanding trained employees. We have a follow-up winemaker in our sights. For more information about the winery, farmhome and vineyard, see www.kinkeadridge.com/forsale.htm

For those of you in Napa and elsewhere, don't diss Ohio (which historically has had a reputation problem in the United States). I have encountered this prejudice for over 10 years. We focus exclusively on fine wine production, not on beer, spirits, or a restaurant.

We now have over 100 wholesale customers in the state, fine wine stores and restaurants, as well as upscale grocery stores like Whole Foods and Dorothy Lane.

We have been featured in Opus Vino, an internationally published wine reference book, and in 1000 Great Everyday Wines from the World's Best Wineries. It's a great opportunity for a young family to continue the international reputation we have developed.

Anna and I loaded 33 cases of wine in the car for Cleveland... barely room for our suitcases! All this was on approval, everyone trusts us that the wines will be great. A few new customers in Cleveland, the Flying Fig, Toast and the Wine Spot. Sadly, Whole Foods Chagrin never got back to me, but the wines are available at Whole Foods Cedar/Warrensville Road.

Sunset at Kinkead Ridge; a great place to live even if you don't want to continue the viticultural history. 126 acres; wildlife; close to Cincinnati cultural events.

The bad news first!
Ron is still recovering from a fork lift in Ripley running over his foot with 1000 pounds of weight. He did not break any bones, but there was lots of swelling, and the foot damage affects knees and hips, so he is still limping around.

Last Saturday Ron bit into a tootsie roll pop that I had for kids at the winery and lost a filling and now has to have a crown!

And yesterday the Blazer winery delivery vehicle blew a radiator and so on the hottest day of the year Ron is replacing it.

The winery is still for sale. If we were in Oregon or Washington, this place would have sold in a week, but Ohio is so disrepected in the larger context, it's very difficult, even though we have been internationally recognized. When Ohio wineries start focussing on producing quality vinifera, things may change. Some of them do. A lot of them don't. The perception across the U.S. is that Ohio makes your grandmother's catawba IMHO.

Now for the good news.

If nothing goes wrong, the 2013 vintage looks fantastic. There is a huge amount of quality white and red grapes out there. Harvest will begin mid-September with the whites, and October with reds.

The Labor Day wine release was fantastic. We had multiple case buyers on both days. Very little Syrah, Petit Verdot and Viognier/Roussanne is left. The last chance to buy it at the winery is Sept. 14 from 11-5. Very little of this is making it out to our wholesale customers. I have begun delivering Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, River Village White Wine and Traminette around the state.

First reviews of the 2011 reds, dogswine.blogspot.com

A great morning visiting the Kinkead Ridge Winery in Ripley, Ohio for the release of their 2011 red wines. It's always a good trip and always fun seeing old friends. The most fun is restocking the cellar with some quality wines. I did that in a big way this year as I thought as a group these 2011 wines were outstanding. One other thing made me happy, after several vintages of the wines creeping up to or beyond 15% alcohol, three of the four wines were less than 14% alcohol this vintage. I can drink more of these wines with out needing a nap.

While all four were very good I had a definite favorite in the 2011 Syrah. There was a deep color to the wine. Aromas of dark fruit, earth and a bit of raw meat were strong. The flavor was rich with black raspberries and red plums. There was also a sense of white pepper and cinnamon that came in at the finish. I loved in this wine. It leans most toward Europe with its flavors and mouth feel. Perfect balance here among the acid, tannin and fruit. 13.5% alcohol and $21. Only 44 cases produced.

The Cabernet Franc had a totally appealing flavor of bright, ripe cherries that seemed more toward the red end of the cherry spectrum. Toss in some red currants and a bit of raspberry and it made for a great flavor profile. Medium body on the wine with great acid. Lengthy and happy finish. $20 and 13.8% alcohol. 304 cases produced.

The Cabernet Sauvignon was its usual brooding self when it first hit the glass. This wine was closed up for a minute or two and never did produce a strong aroma. The flavors were like biting into the richest black cherry on the tree - fully developed sweetness but still with some tartness for balance. There was some dark plum flavors and just a bit of graphite in this wine. The tannin was strong in this wine and that added great texture and support for a few years of aging. 13.9% alcohol and $21. 300 cases produced.

The Petit Verdot was what I expected - deep, dark purple color and not a shy bone in its fruity body. There are tons of blackberries and mulberries in this wine and more than a healthy dose of tannin to support the strong flavors. That said, this wine was a bit lighter in its profile than the recent vintages and seemed more balanced. The acid seemed stronger than recent years also. I will stash mine away for a few years before pulling a cork on a bottle. $22 and 14.4% alcohol. 82 cases produced.

With past experience with the same wines as a guide, I won't approach any of them for a year and don't expect them to hit their peak for four or five years. When that time comes there will be some wonderful wines to open.

A phenomenal weekend. Only two more Saturdays left to get Syrah and Petit Verdot and Viognier/Roussanne. Production was very limited. Don't forget the winery is for sale, check out http://www.kinkeadridge.com/forsale.htm

We have a toad living in the basement. I've named him Prince Harry. He's really cute.

We released the white wines Memorial Day weekend, and they were very well received. The River Village Cellars white wine at $9.99 is a delight. There was so little white wine from 2012 it is only being sold at the winery on summer Saturdays from 11-5. If any is left, it will go out in the fall when we start tasting and distributing the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot.

Anna and Logan

Here's a recent blog review:

"There’s a reason that the best known wines in North America
aren’t grown in the Midwest. Is there some good juice out there in America’s
heartland? Sure there is! Alas, the process of creating those wines is going to
be much more difficult than making good wine in, say, Sonoma County.

Most grapes that thrive around here are either going to be our
area’s indigenous grapes or hybrid grapes crossbred to withstand our humid
summers and cold winters. Let’s face facts – most of the wines made from either
of these grapes are inferior. I have yet
to find a winemaker that could wring consistently good wine out of Norton or
Chambourcin. (Especially the latter…by the Seven, that’s awful crap. Prove me
wrong, someone.) Even the native stuff, like Catawba and Concord, can rise a
level above Manischewitz, but not much more than that.

There are a few
wineries and winemakers in the area that fly in the face of our oenological
reality. A small number have the proper terroir to grow vinifera grapes –
grapes like Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Chardonnay, etc. The
winemakers at these wineries also need the technical knowhow to make these
grapes into decent wine. Most importantly, those folks must possess the level
of bullheaded stubbornness that prevents one from settling for an inferior
product. A couple of these combinations are in the vicinity of Ripley, Ohio – including Kinkead RidgeEstate Winery.

Every year on Memorial Day & Labor Day weekends, many local
wineries take the opportunity to release some of their new offerings. The Sweet
Partner in Crime and I took a little roll down the road to Ripley to enjoy a
beautiful day’s drive and sample some of their new goodies.

We started at Kinkead Ridge, where we got reacquainted with
Nancy Bentley, co-owner of the place with Ron Barrett, the winemaker. Nancy
handles all the “front of house” duties. Kinkead Ridge, available in many local
establishments, releases their new whites on Memorial Day. (Labor Day is for
the reds.) They were pouring their three new whites for the assembled folks.

They opened with their River
Village Cellars 2012 White Wine, a “field blend” of seyval blanc, sauvignon blanc, semillon,
chardonnay, and a few other grapes from their “experimental” block, including
albarino. The result was a light, zippy, grapefruity white that calls for a
porch and some warm weather. $10.

From there, they shared the Kinkead Ridge 2012 Viognier/Roussanne. This is my personal favorite
of the wineries’ selections, and they’ve rarely missed on a vintage of this.
This is a more tropical, creamy wine than the River Village with a very
pleasant, perfumey nose. The crisp finish would make it a nice accompaniment to
plenty of fish, shellfish, or chicken dishes. $17.

Finally, they poured their River Village Cellars 2012 Traminette. Traminette (technically a
two-vinifera hybrid, but we’ll give it a pass) yields a wine that’s a little on
the sweeter side. It’s got a similar profile to gewürztraminer, but without the
fullness of flavor or pepperiness. It still creates a fruity product that’s
friendly enough – especially with spicy foods. I liked it, but it came in third
at this tasting. $10.

Nancy and Anna at A Taste of Duveneck, Cincinnati Art Museum

The Bottling Crew

Sarah on the capsule machine.

We also learned that Nancy and Ron are selling
Kinkead Ridge to move eventually to North Carolina for their “second
retirement.” We will hate to see them go, for sure.

Kinkead Ridge will be releasing the 2012 white wines on May 25 and May 27, Memorial Day weekend, from 10-6. Quantities are limited due to the spring frosts of 2012... fewer than 100 cases of Kinkead Ridge Viognier/Roussanne! We will also have a delightful River Village Cellars White Wine blend, and River Village Cellars Traminette, both attractively priced at $9.99 a bottle! Excellent summer wines. Due to the shortage, we will be not selling these wines at wholesale until September if any are left. The winery will be open summer Saturdays from 11-5.

Our bottles for the 2012 whites and 2011 reds were delivered to a warehouse in Ripley. Unfortunately, their forklift has NO brakes, and 1000 pounds of weight rolled over Ron's foot, destroying his shoe and causing huge bruising and he is in a lot of pain. Nothing was broken, but the bruising is serious. He has been to the doctor and is now on antibiotics and burn cream. We hope this will not impact spraying or bottling.

An internationally published book, American Wines by Jancis Robinson, once again totally ignores southern Ohio. We are in the index on page 226... and I know for a fact that a blurb was written by her mid-west contributor; unfortunately that blurb was chopped. We are listed by name only (two words) in a sidebar. The Ohio piece focusses on the same old, same old, Ferrante, and other OWPA members (we are not members), whatever, the wineries in northern Ohio.

I wish SOME of these authors could get a clue about what is happening in southern Ohio and our internationally recognized award winning vinifera wines.

We love the family of "Edible" magazines throughout the country which focus on slow food and local stories. We were very pleased to be on the cover of the Winter issue. You can read the article in the digital edition,

The only wines we entered into competition in 2012 were the 2010 Cabernet Franc and the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. Both medalled at the American Wine Society Competition in November in Portland Oregon. The Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded an "Award of Merit" by the invitational only competition, the Jefferson cup.

From a fan: "the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is quite possibly the best wine I have ever had. Yours is the only wine we get that I make a concerted effort (and it's hard) to put down in our cellar to age. We still have a little 2008 PV. I put down the odd other bottle but they are seldom better later. But yours ages wonderfully."

Cellartracker.com review of the 2010 Cabernet Franc:

"Deep ruby red; cedar and floral nose; red and black fruits, herbs, big tannins and good acidity making for a medium finish. While the nose isn't jumping out of the glass like the 2008 did, this has a great, well balanced palate. I'm a big Bordeaux fan and I'm not exaggerating when I say that if tasted blind, I would have guessed right bank Bordeaux...seriously. (100 views). 92 points by the reviewer."

The only wines we entered into competition this year were the 2010 Cabernet Franc and the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. Both medalled at the American Wine Society Competition in November in Portland Oregon. The Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded an "Award of Merit" by the invitational only competition, the Jefferson cup.

From a fan: "the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is quite possibly the best wine I have ever had. Yours is the only wine we get that I make a concerted effort (and it's hard) to put down in our cellar to age. We still have a little 2008 PV. I put down the odd other bottle but they are seldom better later. But yours ages wonderfully."

Cellartracker.com review of the 2010 Cabernet Franc:

"Deep ruby red; cedar and floral nose; red and black fruits, herbs, big tannins and good acidity making for a medium finish. While the nose isn't jumping out of the glass like the 2008 did, this has a great, well balanced palate. I'm a big Bordeaux fan and I'm not exaggerating when I say that if tasted blind, I would have guessed right bank Bordeaux...seriously. (100 views). 92 points by the reviewer."

_____

The winery is now closed for the season. We will re-open Memorial Day Weekend for the release of the 2012 white wines.

_____

On Saturday, November 24th, we held our seventh annual barrel tasting and celebrated the winery's TENTH anniversary! A good time was had by all!

First reviews of the 2010 reds released on September 1 and 3 from Dan McGrew.

From dogswine.blogspot.com"It's always a fun day when the best local winery releases their wines, and yesterday Kinkead Ridge released their 2010 red wines. There's always a good crowd, and the crowd always has a good time and yesterday was no exception despite the overcast skies and the continuing threat of predicted downpours from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac. Fortunately, Isaac was just about the only no show for the day.

Let's start with a wine that was far and away my favorite of the four wines released, the 2010 Syrah. The wine was a dark purple color and was a bit paler at the edges - almost an electric purple. Wonderful fruity nose on this wine with bits of oak and a hint of smoke. It has deep flavors of black and red plums and white pepper, very deep flavors. The wood is noticeable but not overpowering and there is a good amount of tannin. The acid is great in this wine and it gives the wine a sharpness and an edge that balances out the deep flavors. The finish is long and smooth. Over the years I've tasted nearly every vintage of their red wines on release and this one is certainly at the very top. A year or so ago I opened a 2005 Syrah and it was the best wine I've had from Kinkead Ridge. I'm hoping for the same with this wine. 14.8 % alcohol, $20.99. 91 cases produced.

Next in line for me was the Cabernet Sauvignon. This was an inky dark wine that never thought about paling at the edges. It had a big, muscular frame that was evident just from the aromas. It had rich flavors of black cherries, black currants, oak and vanilla. There was nothing shy or reticent about this wine. It made a delicious statement. Good acid, strong tannin and a mouth filling finish. Very young and needs a couple of years to come together. 15.2% alcohol. $20.99. 180 cases produced.

There was Petit Verdot for this vintage, something that doesn't always happen, the last time being 2007. The best way to describe the color is "black." This is a dark, highly extracted wine with loads of black fruit and even more loads of tannin. Good fruity aromas of blackberries and earth, almost jam like in the nose. That sensation of jam carried over into the taste as well. To be fair, this wine hasn't totally come together in the bottle yet, but when it does it promises to be a mouth full. The 2005 is delicious at the moment and this wine should come along and in five years or more should be wonderful. 15.5% alcohol $21.99. 63 cases psroduced.

That leaves the Cabernet Franc pictured above from a previous vintage. This is usually the most forward of the Kinkead Ridge red wines and this year is no exception. There's a brighter color to this wine and the shades are more red than purple. Fresh aromas of red cherries and a bit of red currants in the nose. There's some vanilla from the oak as well. Bright, cheerful flavors of those red fruits are supported by a good structure of acid and tannin. It has the sweetest taste of any of the red wines, almost candy like on the first couple of sips. There's a tiny bit of heat at the finish. This wine will be gone by the time the Petit Verdot is ready to drink. 15.3% alcohol. 180 cases produced. $19.99.

There is good news on the 2012 vintage as well. The hot, dry summer has been more than kind to the grapes and the promise is there for some tremendous wines in a couple of years. As of this morning the torrential rains predicted for this area as the result of Hurricane Isaac have yet to show. For grapes in this area we've reached the time of year where the rain isn't such a good thing."

The last bottle of 2009 River Village Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon leaves the winery with Dave Gregorovic.

The last bottle of 2011 Riesling leaves the winery. Nancy with Brian, Janet, Barb and Jerry.

On September 1 and 3 we will be releasing the 2010 Kinkead Ridge red wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot. All young, all delicious. The winery is located at 904 Hamburg Street in Ripley, Ohio (937-392-6077), three blocks behind the McDonalds, east of downtown Ripley. The Syrah and Petit Verdot production was 93 and 60 cases respectively, so they won't last long. Out of state? See our web page for how to order our wines.

This is also the weekend of the annual vineyard tour at 4288 Kinkead Road... from 10 to 6, meet Ron the winegrower in the vineyard, all varieties are labelled, taste the grapes on the vine, feel free to bring a picnic and chairs. Sorry, no restrooms at the vineyard. Children welcome. Dogs on a leash please!

See www.kinkeadridge.com for more details.

I recently had feedback second hand from a Cincinnati oenophile that our 2011 Riesling is EXTREMELY similar to Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling. (New York). High praise indeed. And ours at $12 is $6 less expensive than theirs!

A review of their 2011 semi-dry: "The 2011 Semi Dry Riesling presents with a light golden hue and a nose of orange blossom, lavender and pear. A vibrant mouthfeel with flavors of apple, peach and mandarin oranges with a zesty fruit finish. Serve with light spicy foods or dessert." -

Dr. Konstantin Frank ignited the “Vinifera Revolution” a movement that forever changed the course of wine growing in the Finger Lakes and the United States. Dr. Frank’s vision, knowledge and determination are credited with elevating the New York wine industry from a state of happy mediocrity to a level that today commands world attention.

In 1962, merely a decade after arriving in America, Dr. Frank founded Vinifera Wine Cellars. The winery quickly earned a reputation for spectacular Rieslings and its original planting of vines formed the backbone of New York’s world-class wines and champagnes. Dr. Frank’s Wine Cellars is proud of its international winemaking team with each member bringing in their particular expertise. The talented group includes winemakers from California, Australia, France and Germany.

Queen Anne's Lace on the front ridge with the vineyard in the background... when I posted this picture on Facebook, a fan wrote me her family used to make wine from the flowers! Hmmmm!

It was not a dark and stormy night. It was a hot and steamy day. A big deal in the Buckeye State. We had a visit from Dr. Gee, the president of Ohio State University. He's the one in the red Ohio State hat and bow tie! Shown with Seth Meranda, David Dugan (local extension), Brown County commissioner, Doug Green and other support staff from Ohio State. This would be the equivalent of the president of UCLA visiting Robert Mondavi!

The white wines from 2011 are almost sold out.

Labor Day Weekend, Saturday and Monday, we will release the 2010 red wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot. This is only the third iteration of Petit Verdot ever produced by us. Only 60 cases available!

May review of two of the white wines by dogswine.blogspot.com. Now under 20 cases each, and some is promised to restaurants and wine stores.

"Viognier Roussanne, this vintage a mixture that is 77% Viognier. In 2010 the blend was only 43% Viognier so these are vastly different wines. I drank a bottle of the 2010 a couple of weeks ago and you can read that here. The 2011 is much more citrusy, with orange peel and blossoms and lemon zest in the nose, along with a dose of honeydew melon. There's also a touch of green fruits, but no lavender that endeared me to the 2010. This wine is lighter on the nose and palate and is almost a full 1% less alcohol. Great acidity on the finish. The 2010 was good with grilled chicken, but I'll save the 2011 for fish and indoor chicken without the smokiness of the grill. At $15.95 a bottle one can't do better than this wine. 14.2% alcohol. 110 cases produced.

White Revelation, a blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, semillon and a few other white grapes. Stick your nose in this wine and you are immediately transported to the grapefruit groves in Vero Beach, Florida in mid January. Sweet grapefruit aromas that leave no doubt in the mind what's happening here. There's a hint of some floweriness and just a touch of herbs in the nose. The taste is pure citrus, sharp, tart, refreshing and just crying out for halibut or cod. $13.95 and the bargain of the year so far. 13.5% alcohol. 86 cases produced."

"The wine? Very light golden color in the glass. The aromas were rich with orange peel, a touch of honeysuckle, white blossoms, and a tiny bit of lavender. The lavender was not something I was used to with this wine so I went back to sniffing four or five times with a few minutes interval between, and the nose was consistent. Very full bodied for a white wine, almost viscous in the glass. Wonderful tastes of peach and apricot and perhaps a little bit of lychee. There was a bit of fully ripe apple tastes in the wine as well. Long, dry finish that had some mineral qualities on the very end.

This is a wine that is a little bit serious and not at all shy. It more than stood up to the smoky flavors of the chicken. I really think the wine might overpower a delicate fish or bland chicken, but it certainly had a great partner with the spatchcocked chicken from the grill."

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2005 Kinkead Ridge Petit Verdot

The new white wines from Kinkead Ridge are just a few weeks away from release so some space needed to be made in the cellar for them by opening a few bottles of past vintages.

First up was the 2005 PV and a New York strip steak from the grill done on the rare side of medium with the remaining morels sauteed in some butter. Yum.

Inky dark wine in the glass, almost black, and I kept thinking back to old legends in the wine world of the "black wine of Cahors." Robust and earthy aromas of black plums, blackberries and just about any other black fruit one can name. Definitely full flavored with blackberries and black raspberries. The best thing about this wine was that the oak has finally integrated fully. With previous bottles the oak was a predominant flavor, but now it has mellowed into vanilla and cinnamon and it plays a supporting role. Very proper acidity and a lush mouth feel to this wine led to a long. slow, ripe finish with just a bit of vegetable at the very end. Absolutely perfect with the steak and morels. The best news is that there are two more in the cellar, but the wine is drinking so well right now that it will be a shame to hold on to them.

Some people may think I have too much time on my hands this time of year, but today I made another "free gift with case purchase." Our multi-year followers know I always do something for the holidays with a hand-made cork ornament, here's this year's, what do you think! I think it's a girl-y thing, the guys don't seem to care much!

Our local librarian, Alison, peruses old newspapers and found this poem from an unidentified author in a Clermont newspaper in 1859. Higginsport, Ohio.

NATIVE WINE

Fill the blushing goblet high,Red as summer's sunset sky,Rosy as the early dawn,White and crimson blend in one.Fill with royal bold of vine,Rosy, radiant Native Wine.

Pure as nectar from above,Or dew from lip of lady love,Lovely as the crimson flashOf a maiden's modest blushOffspring of the river Rhine,Give me blushing Native Wine.

See the shadows as they creepUp the hillside, long and steep,Watch them as they swiftly takeMany a wild, fantastic shape,Towers with spire and turret highBlending with the bended sky

See the halls that that arches oldrich with crimson, flush with goldList the maiden's merry laughWhile her red lips part to quaffLuscious drafts of precious wine,Pressed through fingers white and fine.

Let the drunkard drink his swillSeething from the venomed stillLet him breathe its poisoned breathDrugged with strychnine and with deathLet him wallow in the mire,Heart and blood and brain on fire.

But for me, when thought is dullAnd the heart is sorrowfulWhen my poet's lyre grows oldAnd my lady-love grows coldI'd wish no sweeter bliss were mineThan one rich cup of Native Wine.

The weather has been unseasonably warm, and we dodged a big bullet last week when the temperature plunged to 32-1/2 degrees. Colder, and we would have had frost damage. Apparently northern Ohio was not so lucky. Early bud break has made tying up canes more difficult, since buds get knocked off (and that impacts crop load).

There's a new "What's New" page for April, including some nice information about Riesling. See What's New. If you're running Internet Explorer, and you're in the office, you might want to turn down the sound, otherwise you will hear some spring bird chirping when you access the page!

Here's my latest favorite wine cartoon:

Tin capsules have gotten sooooo expensive ($399/1000) that we are converting to aluminum. Same nice color, leaf logo on top and text in gold on the skirt. They are also manufactured in Spain, like the tin ones.

It's gorgeous. Ron is pruning. Logan, Anna and Randy are pulling brush. The pussy willow and the star magnolia are blooming. Here's a shot of the star magnolia with the vineyard in the background.

In the meantime, Nancy, with time on her hands, has been experimenting with hats and scarves for wine bottles. (Potential free gift with case purchase!). Here's the knit one.

Here's the crochet one.

Just a reminder, this extraordinary vineyard is for sale (and winery)... see http://www.kinkeadridge.com/forsale.htm. It will probably be listed with Sothebys International Realty at the end of March but is for sale by owner until then, at a less expensive price, and a commitment for Ron and my consulting for 12 months.

This morning I received an email from Barolo, the Giovanni Rosso estate...

"Ciao from Barolo,

I am just sending you a quick e-mail because while on a trip to Cincinnati to sell our wines recently, I bought a bottle of your 2010 Riesling.I opened it on Thursday with the cellar-masters from Marchesi di Gresy and La Spinetta in Barbaresco, and finished it yesterday with our UK importer and several other producers here in Piemonte, including Bartolo Mascarello, Mauro Mascarello, Sarotto, Cornarea, Fratelli Alessandria, Mario Fontana, La Colombera and Cascina Luisin.The universal opinion of the wine was that it was very good - yesterday with our importer and the other producers, we tried it after a line-up of 16 Loire Valley whites, including the likes of Huet and Cotat, and your Riesling was in the same class (though quite a bit cheaper!).Complimenti on a lovely bottle - keep up the good work!

Best wishes,

Evan Byrne.Azienda Agricola Giovanni Rosso."

From Brian Kirby, http://www.theother46.com

"I'm fortunate to try some of the best local wines produced each year. I'm well aware, at least in most cases, several of the wines I feature are near impossible to purchase. Blame it on shipping laws, limited production or small marketing budgets, at the end of the day, most of the wines I write about are not going to make it into your glass.

This is never more evident than with Kinkead Ridge Winery. Located in Ripley, Ohio, Kinkead Ridge has garnered more awards and acclaim than most wineries from the other 46. But plagued by difficult shipping laws, low production wines and pending retirement, most will never have the opportunity to try their outstanding lineup of wines. Which is all the more reason for locals and visitors to jump on the Ohio wine trail and pay them a visit. Trust me, you'll thank me afterwards."